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soul music ► South Africa I 1787
created at the beginning of time and imprisoned in an earthly body; at death the soul is said to pass to a new body according to the laws of karma. Buddhism negates the idea of a soul, asserting that any sense of an indi¬ vidual self is illusory.
soul music Style of U.S. popular music sung and performed primarily by African American musicians, having its roots in gospel music and rhythm and blues. The term was first used in the 1960s to describe music that combined rhythm and blues, gospel, jazz, and rock music and that was characterized by intensity of feeling and earthiness. In its earliest stages, soul music was found most commonly in the South, but many of the young singers who were to popularize it migrated to cities in the North. The founding of Motown in Detroit, Mich., and Stax-Volt in Memphis, Tenn., did much to encourage the style. Its most popular performers include James Brown, Ray Charles, Sam Cooke, and Aretha Franklin.
sound Mechanical disturbance that propagates as a longitudinal wave through a solid, liquid, or gas. A sound wave is generated by a vibrating object. The vibrations cause alternating compressions (regions of crowd¬ ing) and rarefactions (regions of scarcity) in the particles of the medium. The particles move back and forth in the direction of propagation of the wave. The speed of sound through a medium depends on the medium’s elasticity, density, and temperature. In dry air at 32 °F (0 °C), the speed of sound is 1,086 feet (331 metres) per second. The frequency of a sound wave, perceived as pitch, is the number of compressions (or rarefactions) that pass a fixed point per unit time. The frequencies audible to the human ear range from approximately 20 hertz to 20 kilohertz. Intensity is the average flow of energy per unit time through a given area of the medium and is related to loudness. See also acoustics; ear; hearing; ultrasonics.
Sound, The See 0resund
sound barrier Sharp rise in aerodynamic drag that occurs as an air¬ craft approaches the speed of sound. At sea level the speed of sound is about 750 miles (1,200 km) per hour, and at 36,000 feet (11,000 metres) it is about 650 miles (1,050 km) per hour. The sound barrier was formerly an obstacle to supersonic flight. If an aircraft flies at somewhat less than sonic speed, the pressure waves (sound waves) it creates outspeed their sources and spread out ahead of it. Once the aircraft reaches sonic speed the waves are unable to get out of its way. Strong local shock waves form on the wings and body; airflow around the craft becomes unsteady, and severe buffeting may result, with serious stability difficulties and loss of control over flight characteristics. Generally, aircraft properly designed for supersonic flight have little difficulty in passing through the sound barrier, but the effect on those designed for efficient operation at subsonic speeds may become extremely dangerous. The first pilot to break the sound barrier was Chuck Yeager (1947), in the experimental X-l aircraft.
sound card or audio card Integrated circuit that generates an audio signal and sends it to a computer’s speakers. The sound card can accept an analog sound (as from a microphone or audio tape) and convert it to digital data that can be stored in an audio file, or accept digitized audio signals (as from an audio file) and convert them to analog signals that can be played on the computer’s speakers. On a personal computer, the sound card is usually a separate circuit board that is plugged into the motherboard.
sound effect Artificial imitation of sound to accompany action and supply realism in a dramatic production. Sound effects were first used in the theatre, where they can represent a range of action too vast or diffi¬ cult to present onstage, from battles and gunshots to trotting horses and rainstorms. Various methods were devised by backstage technicians to reproduce sounds (e.g., rattling sheet metal to create thunder); today most sound effects are reproduced by recordings. An important part of old- fashioned radio dramas, sound effects are still painstakingly added to television and movie soundtracks.
sound reception See hearing
Souphanouvong Vsii-'pa-nu-.voqX (b. July 13, 1909, Luang Prabang, Laos—d. Jan. 9, 1995, Laos) Leader of the revolutionary Pathet Lao movement and president of Laos (1975-86). Half brother of Souvanna Phouma, Souphanouvong was trained in civil engineering and built bridges and roads in Vietnam (1938^-5). He fought the return of French colonial rule to Laos after World War II and broke with the Free Laos govemment- in-exile to ally himself with the Viet Minh, founding the communist- oriented Pathet Lao, which came to power in 1974-75.
sour gum See black gum
Souris Vsur-9s\ River River in Saskatchewan and Manitoba, Canada, and North Dakota, U.S. The Souris rises in southeastern Saskatchewan, then flows southeast into North Dakota, where it turns north to reenter Canada, joining the Assiniboine River in Manitoba after a course of 600 mi (966 km). In North Dakota it is also called the Mouse River.
Sousa Vsti-zoV John Philip (b. Nov. 6, 1854, Washington, D.C., U.S.—d. March 6, 1932, Reading, Pa.) U.S. bandmaster and composer known as “The March King.” As a youth he learned to play the violin and various band instruments. In 1868 he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps as an apprentice in the Marine Band, and from 1880 to 1892 he directed the group, building it into a virtuoso ensemble. In 1892 he formed his own band, with which he toured internationally to great acclaim. He com¬ posed 136 military marches, including “Semper Fidelis” (the official march of the Marines), “The Washington Post,” “The Liberty Bell,” and “The Stars and Stripes Forever.” He also wrote successful operettas, including El Capitan (1896), and dozens of other works. In the 1890s he developed a type of bass tuba now known as the sousaphone.
sousaphone or helicon Spiral circular bass or contrabass tuba. Tra¬ ditionally made of brass, it is now often made of fibreglass for lightness. The helicon was probably first developed in Russia but was perfected in Vienna in 1849 by Ignaz Stowasser, who manufactured it in various sizes. John Philip Sousa designed a removable and rotatable bell for the instru¬ ment in 1892, giving the new design his own name. Designed for port¬ ability, the instruments have become standard in marching bands.
Souter Ysu-tsrV David H(ackett) (b. Sept. 17, 1939, Melrose, Mass., U.S.) U.S. jurist. He graduated from Harvard Law School and soon joined the New Hampshire attorney general’s office. He was promoted to state attorney general in 1976, to the state’s Superior Court in 1978, and to its Supreme Court in 1983. In 1990 he was appointed by Pres. George Bush to the First U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and later that year to the U.S. Supreme Court. Considered a conservative at the outset of his appointment, he gradually emerged as a moderate liberal, particularly on issues of civil rights.
South Africa officially Republic of South Africa formerly Union of South Africa Southernmost country on the African continent. The Kingdom of Lesotho lies within its boundaries. Area: 470,693 sq mi
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